Restricted flow device



Nov. 12,Y 1935. w. R. MITTENDORF ET AL. 2,021,079

RESTHIGTED FLOW FDEVICE Filed April 23, 1954 INVENTORS,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nev.- 12, 19.35,

UNITED. STATES PATENT oFFlcl.:g

nE's'rmc'rEp FLow n'EvrcE William R..` Mittendorf and Roland H.

Cincinnati, Ohio,

Money,

assignors to The Crosley Radio Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, atorpolration of Ohio Application April 23,1934, SerialNo. 722,049 'iClaims.` (Cl. 13S-42) and low pressure portions of arefrigerationdevlce. As is well known, it is necessary to provide somemeans which will control the flow of liquefied refrigerant from thecondenser in a refrigerating device to the evaporator. Float valvemechanisms have been used for. this as well as pressure reducing valvemechanisms. These are properly notv restricted ow devices, but rathercontrolled flow devices. Elongated capillary tubes have also been usedIt is an object of our invention to providea new type of restricted.flow device'which will have the following signal advantages over anyother type of` restricted flow devices heretofore used:

(1) Itis adjustable without substitution of parts to provide a normalrate of flow which can be varied to suit the requirements of anyparticular job. l

(2) By the use of standard parts with or without adjustment, ashereinabove set forth, smaller or larger normal rates of iiow may easilybe secured.

(3) In operation the device is self compensating for great changes inpressure.

(4) The device is self-freeing of clogging obstructions.

(5) The device is economical of manufacture, easy to replace or repairand economical of space.

The general object of our invention set forth hereinabove, and otherobjects which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon readingthese specfications, we accomplish by that certain construction andarrangement of parts, of which we shall now describe the aforesaidexemplary embodiment, it being understood that the particular embodimentchosen for this disclosure and the\exemplary circumstances of its use,are not limitations upon our invention.

Reference is made to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled restricted flowdevice embodying our invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are plan views of suggested forms of grooved discs.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an assembly of discs andwashers showing a way in which adjustment can be secured.

Brieiiy in the practice of,our invention, we provide a plurality ofmembers having tortuous for the purpose. l

preferred. A central grooves in a face or faces thereof, and we as-fsemble these members with or without intervening members, to provide aconstruction in whch a fluid must follow a tortuous path normallydetermined by said grooves. It will be 5 obvious that the severalmembers will be perforated'to the end of connecting up the grooves so asto provide a continuous restricted passageway, or a plurality thereof.The variousmembers are assembled in a casing and are prefer- 1o ablyheld together therein by resilientmeans. Where this is done the devicebecomes nonclogging, because it is responsive to extraordinarypressures, since such pressures can cause the members to separateagainst the pressure 15 of the resilient means, thereby temporarilyproviding less restricted paths for the passage of uid. It will be clearthat in a device of this f kind, the effective length of the fluidpassageway or passage-ways, may be modified by using 20 more or less ofthe grooved members; so that restricted flow devices of differingfundamental rates of iiow may easily be made from the same standardparts. Moreover, where washersy or non-grooved metal pieces are employedbetween 25 the grooved members, individual adjustment of each device maybe made very accurately to a predetermined standard, or to theparticular requirements of a specific job, by making' the interveningpieces or washers of relatively softer 30 metal than the groovedmembers, and subjecting the grooved members and washers in assembledform, to pressure, whereby the metal of the washers is caused to beextruded to a greater or less extent into the grooves of the grooved 85members, thereby varying the cross-sectional area of the passage-wayformed by the said grooves.

We will now describe the aforesaid exemplary embodiment of our deviceindetail. 40 It is most convenient to provide -both ythe grooved membersand the washers in the form of round discs, and to assemble these in acylindriv cal casing. We have shown in Figure 1 such a cylindricalcasing at I, closed at one end by a cap l45 or the like 2, which may bethreaded thereon, otherwise attached thereto, or made integral ifpreferred, with the casing I. The cap 2V will be provided with afitting` 3 for the reception ofA a tube leading from the condenser,orfor attaclr- 50 ment directly to the condenser if that should bepassage-way 4 permits the iiow oi' uid to the interior oi' the casing I.This end of the device is the inlet end.4 The other end oi the casing isclosed by a cap l either threaded therewith; and a pressure tightconnection may be assured by the use of the gasket 6. The cap 5 isprovided with ,a central uid passage-way 1 and a fitting 8 forattachment to the evaporator ofV a refrigerating device, or to a tubeleading to the evaporator. We have shown in the casing and next to cap2, a preliminary plate 9 having a central perforation I0. Above thisplate we have shown a series of grooved discs II with washersV I2between each disc and the next succeeding one. The assembly is completedby a plate I3 having a central perforation I4 and a spring I5, abuttingat one end against the assembled plates, discs and'washers, and at theother against thfecap 5.

This spring holds the assembly of discs, washers and plates together,and it will be obvious that the compressive strength of .this spring maybe varied to make the device responsive to different maximum pressures.

The discs are grooved and perforated to provide'the passage-ways forfluid aforesaid; j and we prefer so to groove and perforate them as toprovide a normally single continuous and connected passage-way for thefluid, frornone end of the assembly to the other. The discs andlwashersand the plates 9 and Il are preferably accurately fitted into the casingI', so as to prevent a flow of fluid about the edges thereof. ,v

We have shown in Figure 2, an exemplary disc II having a spiral grooveI8 therein, starting at a central depression I1 in the disc and endingI1 to the point I8. Other forms of groving may,

of course, be employed, 'as well yas other shapes for the groovedmembers. The discs may be grooved upon vone or both sides. Preferablythey are grooved on both sides, since in this way a greater length ofrestricted passage-way may be provided in a given space. Where 'I1 is adepression and I8 is a. perforation, the intervening' washers I2 willhave central 'perforations shown at 2| in Figure 1. If I'I were aperforation and I8 a mere depression, or the end of `a groove, the

washers I2 would be solid at the center and per- I forated near theirperipheries with holes which could be made to register with the ends Ilof the grooves. l

The discs I I may be made of iron, brass, bronze, or othermaterials,'and the Washers I2 may be made of softer materials such aslead, or lead alloys or the like. If this'is done, a further means ofadjustment is provided in that thewashers and discs may be assembled ina casing in a press and subjected to pressure, whereby the metal of thewashers may be caused to enter or be extruded into grooves of thediscs,'thereby still further restricting the passageways provided 'bythese grooves. Wel have shown in Figure 4 a magnified sectional view ofa part of an assembly of discs` II and washers I2, which has beensubjected to pressure, and we have indicated at 22 how the relativelysofter metal of the washers has been forced into the grooves to restrictthem. Very accurate control is possible by this method, so that with aspecified number of parts, .and a specified 2,021,079 on the casing or'otherwise detachably connectible cross-sectional'area of grooves in thedisc, a wide range of flow restriction may be secured below the maximumas determined by the grooves. The grooves are easily made by a machiningoperation or may themselves be made larger or smaller 5 as anyparticular case may require.

The washersIZ may, of course, be eliminated and the necessarypassage-way formed by an assembly of grooved discs only; or the discsmay be grooved only upon one side, and assembled so that each disc actsbothv as a grooved member and as a washer.: The discs may likewise bemade of metallic pieces having a. harder grooved face and a softergrooved or non-grooved. face.

In-theL assembly of Figure l, it will be noted l5 that our device` isself-freeing. If foreign matter in the'uid should clog any part of therestricted .e-way which we have provided, the building up of pressurewhich would result therefrom would tend tol separate the discs andwashers 20 tions 2| in the washers and the perforations I 8 'V infthediscs, whereby the obstruction would be washed away orv allowed to pass.When the 'ob- 25 struction is gone, the spring Il returns the assemblyto its normal working position. In this way also, our device is maderesponsive to excess pressure whether or not there is an obstruction.

It will be clear that modincations may be made in our invention withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof.- V l lHaving thus described ourinvention, what we clinii as new and desire to secure by Letters Patens:-

1. In a restricted flow device, a plurality of members assembled in faceto face relationship, certain of said members being grooved, andc'ertain of said members acting m comme nula to said grooves, means forconducting fluid from 40 one groove to another so as to provide atleastone continuous passage-way for fluid through said assembled members, andresilient `means urging said assembled members into assembled position,whereby said device is responsive to excess pres- 45 sure lby separationof said members against the forceof said resilient means.

2. A restricted ilow device comprising a casing of cylindrical form, aplurality of discs assembled in face to face relationship in saidcasing, at least 50 one ofsaid discs having a continuous groove in itssin'face, said members being perforated to provide a continuouspassage-way for fluid there-y through including said groove, said discsfitting closely in said casing so as to prevent the passage 55 ofsubstantial quantities of fluid between said casing and the edges ofsaid discs, and resilient means in. said casing for holding said discsin assembled relationship.

3. In a restricted iiow device, a cylindrical cas- 60 ing closed at`both ends and-provided with inlet and outlet connection means, and anassembly in said casing of members in face to face relationship, some atleast of said members being grooved, and said members being perforatedto provide a 65 passageway for fluid therethrough including saidgrooves, and resilient means in said casing holding said members inassembledrelaticnship.

'4. A restricted flow device comprising a casing 70 and an assembly insaid casing of grooved members and intervening washer members, saidmembers being perforated so as to provide through said assembly acontinuous restricted passageway for fluid including said grooves,andreailient'' 2,021,079 means in said casing for-urging saldi groovedmembers and saidvwasher members together.

5. In a restricted flow device, a' plurality of. members assembled inface to face relationship,` means on said members forming a continuoustortuous passage through said assembly, and means to apply pressure tosaid' assembly of members sumclent to maintain .contact therebetweenunder normal maximum pressure' within said passage, said pressure meansbeing adapted to yield when subjected to excessive pressure within saidpassage due to clogging obstructions, there'- by allowing said membersto separate and clear the passage of such obstructions. A

6. In a restricted now device, a plurality of members assembled in faceto face relationship, certain of said members being grooved, and certainof said members acting to confine fluid to said grooves, means forconducting iiuid from one groove to another so as to provide at leastone continuous passage for fluid through said assembled members, andmeans to apply pressure to said assembly of members sufcient to maintaincontact therebetween under normal maximum pressure within said passage,said pressure means being adapted to yield when subjected to excessivepressure within said passage due to clogging obdiscs, and means to applypressure to said series 15 of discs s ulcient to maintain contacttherebetween under normal maximum pressure within said passageway, saidpressure means yielding when subjected to excessive pressure within saidpassageway due to clogging obstructions, thereby 20;l

allowing said discs to separate and clearing said passageway of suchobstructions.

WILLIAM R. MI'I'IENDORF. ROLAND H. MONEY.

